Taste of Eternity
by DragonLegends
Summary: "Do not fear me. You and I share the same mother but I am extremely different to any sibling you have ever known. When I speak, Nirn bends to my will. When I raise my blade you better pray to your gods, for I always get my kill." The life and tales of an exiled Nord.
1. Prologue

**Prologue **

The snow came early this year in the northern reaches of the Cyrodiil. It blanketed everything, turning all the green forests into planes of white. The cold also came with the snow; everything seemed to freeze over in the night. With the snow and the cold, came a reminder of her homeland; A place she would likely never see again.

-Celestra, what are you doing with yourself?- She wondered now as she tread through the deep snow. Celestra Bane, a Nord of Skyrim, or at least once was before the exile. It had been almost 300 years since the curse was placed on her, threatening to destroy her if she ever came close to its borders. As of late, she had treaded hazardously close to these borders; she could, even now feel the magic that threatened to destroy her. She subconsciously looked to her left hand taking in the magicka symbol for banishment which was burnt into her skin; it had faded with age leaving a thin washed out outline of the mark. She wondered if it would ever truly leave her.

There was a shuffle in the snow.

Celestra pulled her bowstring back and watched. The forest became silent, a sound she had gotten used to since leaving Skingrad and coming up here.

Bruma, the closest thing to home she could come by as it was just a few miles south of the border. She could at least feel the northern wind she had grown up with centuries previous. It was refreshing to be able to feel something nostalgic; since the war and the disappearance of Janus Hassildor, an old and dear vampire, she was beginning to lose connections with her past life. She had lived with Janus in Skingrad castle for a while. Janus had been kind to her since she helped deal with the excessive vampire nuisance in the surrounding country side and also helped him cure his wife ofPorphyric Hemophilia; or vampirism the common word for it.

She watched as snow began to fall and cover her black hood in flakes. The forest around her was quiet, and then she saw it. A deer stood several meters away, it seemed to be watching her. Celestra released her grip on her bow string allowing the arrow to glide through the air and pierce the deer's flesh. Blood gushed out of wound and the creature fell over.

"Yes!" Celestra grinned as she ran up to the creature. She was never that good with a bow, and could not understand why she had bother to become a hunter for a living in Bruma. Snowflakes began to pile onto the creatures corpse. Celestra took out a knife and created a large cut along the creatures belly; The deer bled out. She then stuck her hands in and pulled out the creatures organs and then began to skin the creature.

Since moving to Bruma she had taken the job as a hunter for the local general store. It provided to be a steady paying job, but it was nothing like being a listener for the Dark Brotherhood. After the Count of Skingrad's disappearance she decided it was time to look away from the dark brotherhood and see what else she could do in the world.

A strong wind blew in from the north causing Celestra to drop her knife. She could feel this uneasy wave of magicka filling the air. Her eyes wandered to the north; something was different, really different. She found herself moving closer and closer to the border. Curiosity moved her onward, leaving the carcass of the deer. There was another wave of magicka but with this one came with a loud roar piercing the sky.

She found her foot prints moving further and further apart in the snow, as she broke into a run and dropped her bow. Excitement filled her as she moved closer and closer to the border.

She began to push by dead branches as she entered deep forest. The sound of snapping and cracking filled her ears as she pushed by. She scared away some foxes with her movement until finally she burst into an opening in the trees, she suddenly stopped.

Realization washed over her.

"What in Oblivion am I doing going north?" She had gotten into a bit of a habit talking to herself out loud, " I can't enter Skyrim, why bother?" She looked behind her at the foot prints which were filling which snowflakes as she watched them; and then ahead of her at the empty path.

There was another cry and this time it sounded as if the creature was heading away from this area.

She looked to her left hand and traced the faded magicka mark and looked to the north. Celestra decided it was time to take a chance, time to join the adventurers life again. She dropped her bag so she wouldn't be weighed down and then took a large first leap and began to run.


	2. Chapter 1 Unbound

**Chapter 1 Unbound**

"Our hero, Our hero ,claims a warriors heart," Came a discordant voice that brought Celestra back to reality. How long had she been asleep? Definitely long enough for the once lone wagon to catch a ride with two others.

Upon running across the border she had ran face to face with an imperial ambush; a grand mistake on her part, now she'd have to pay the price. She was so happy to be back in Skyrim that she had just let them take her. Even if they killed her, at least she was in her homeland again. Her Nord heritage was shining through her vampiric personality, a side she had usually kept hidden from the outside world, but today it somehow felt fine to let it free. Her eyes focused to the bright sunlight being reflected off smooth white snow; a sight she had once thought she would never see again. Her bliss reminiscing was interrupted by a man sitting on the other side of the wagon; he seemed to have noticed that she had woken up.

"Hey, you! Finally awake? You were trying to cross the border and ran into that imperial ambush, eh? Same as that thief over there."

She yawned not wanting to answer the man, and then took in the other prisoners who shared this ride. They were all Nords, she noted except for the snoring argonian who occupied the only seat next to her. She took in a large breath of air, tasting Skyrim; her home.

"Seems so," She wasn't really paying attention, but the thief; a twig-like man began to talk over her.

"Damn Stormcloaks! Skyrim was fine till you came along! The Empire was nice and lazy- if they hadn't been looking for you, I could have stolen that horse and been half way to Hammerfell." the thief gave a nasty expression to the man sitting in front of Celestra, then turned his head slightly to grab her attention, "You there! You and me shouldn't be here it's these Stormcloaks the Empire wants!"

"We're all brothers and sisters in binds now, thief." A classy remark from the man in front of her.

Celestra wanted so much to-

"Shut up back there!"

The Imperial voiced her emotions; could they not let her enjoy her remaining minutes in Skyrim? To her displeasure they began to talk louder.

"What's wrong with him?" The thief poked a knobby finger into the man sitting in front of him and beside the Argonian. Celestra had a poor view of the man but he seemed to have scarf tied around his mouth, hindering his ability to speak. The man's auburn eyes seemed to watch like a hawk. A look that most would find horrifying, but she felt nothing.

The Argonian- in his sleepy state- leaned over onto the gagged man. The man tried to push him away, but gravity forced him back. A loud snore soon followed.

"Watch your tongue! That's Ulfric Stormcloak the true high king!"

"Ulfric? The Jarl of Windhelm? You're the leader of the rebellion, if they've captured you- Oh Gods where are they taking US?"

Celestra had made this connection herself; there would be no trial, not for the treacherous actions Ulfric and the Stormcloaks were showing against the Empire. No, they would be executed; a swift and easy silence of their blight on Tamriel's history. Celestra began to accept this.

"I don't know where we're going, but Sovengard awaits."

She would not find herself in Sovengard, she was already promised to so many Daedra. A sad truth but one that comes with seeking power.

" Oh no this can't be happening! This isn't happening!" the thief began to wander off in speech, as he began yelling prayers into the sky asking for safety.

"Hey, What village are you from horse thief?"

"Why do you care?"

"A Nords last thoughts should be of home."

Dawnstar... That's where she was from, she grew up there, in the Dawnstar sanctuary, something like 300 years ago; A long time.

" Rorikstead- I'm...I'm from Rorikstead."

"General Tulius! Sir the heads man is waiting." The Imperial bus boy's seemed to be yelling across the gaps between the wagons.

"Good, let's get this over with." Replied the Imperial driving their wagon.

Celestra felt an odd squishy thing move across her back. She refused to scream but quickly moved off the seat, to see what it was. Laying on the seat was the sleek tail of the Argonian, it began to move with him as turned to sit up straight; he had awoke.

"Wherr arr we?" The argonian asked as the wagon rolled over the root of a tree and onto cobblestone, as they entered a town. His Black Marsh accent was as thick as a giant's club, yet still understandable. The others didn't seem to respond to the Argonian as they continued to talk, bleeding into politics. Celesta found herself explaining to this poor mortal.

" I think we're in Helgen." She was unsure as Helgen was a lot smaller when she had been there last. It seemed to have grown, if this was Helgen after all.

"This is Helgen. I used to be sweet on a girl from here. I wonder if Milad is still making that mead with juniper berries mixed in... Funny, when I was a boy, Imperial walls and towers used to make me feel so safe." The Stormcloak's voice faded away into a whisper. She could tell he too was beginning to understand that this was the end.

Celestra could see a family sitting out on their porch watching these Imperial wagons go by. How she wished to sit among them.

"-Where are they going?" She caught the end of the boy's speech and then she watched as the innocent child was told to go inside. An attempt by the father to keep his boy pure. She couldn't understand why, a death was just another part of living. Sithis always gets what he wants, and now he wanted their lives.

"Why? I want to watch the soldiers!"

"Get inside now!" The father demanded just as they pulled out of range to hear them. Celestra took another deep breath. Twice before this had happened, twice before she had been beyond lucky. But now standing here, there was no chance luck would be on her side again and found herself whispering prayers to Sithis.

"W-why are we stopping?" a worried tone pierced though the horse thief's lips.

"Why do you think?... It's the end of the line."

The wagon rolled to a stop in front of a large cobblestone tower; which blotted out the only gap between the mountains to allow any sun through. A sure sign that they had come to the end of the line. One by one they stepped off the wagons as a Imperial woman and a man began to take record of those to be executed.

The horse thief begged them to stop and listen, that Celestra and him were not rebels, but the Imperials paid no attention to him.

"Face your death with some courage!" The Stormcloak behind her shouted. Over these two She could hear the sound of the female Imperial.

"Step towards the block after we call your name! One at a time!" Her voice was shrill and grabbed everyone's attention.

"The Empire loves their damn lists." The stormcloak spat as he jumped down beside Celestra. One by one they called their names and the group stayed quiet till Ulfric was called forward. Celestra could hear all the Stormcloaks shouting praises to Ulfric as he walked proudly by and took a firm stance near the chopping block. Near him, Celestra spotted the executioner, a large man dressed in black furs and leather garb. In his right hand he held the long shaft of the executioners axe; a beautifully-deadly weapon.

"Lokir of Rorikstead."

The horse thief jumped with fear, "I'm not a rebel! You can't do this! You're not going to kill me!" he began running in the hopes of fleeing his fate, but as Celestra had previously thought; Sithis always gets what he wants. Celestra could only watch as an Imperial arrow shot through Lokir, sending him to the floor like a rag doll.

"Anyone else feel like running?" The shrill woman shouted, everyone else remained quiet.

"Seemss like we'arr in a bit of trrouble." The Argonian whispered to Celestra, they where the last two left.

"You there step forward." The male Imperial, holding a book and a quill pointed towards the Argonian. He moved forward, the imperial seemed to examine him, "Who are you?"

" I am Zorrocco of Black marrsh" The Argonian spoke proudly as if they should know him.

" You're a long way from black marsh. and you?" the imperial now pointed the feathered quill at Celestra. She took three steps forward, and now stood beside the Argonian. The wind began to blow causing the pages of the Imperial logbook to shiver, their wrinkling sound filled the void of silence that had engulfed the scene.

"I am Celestra of house Bane, resident of Dawnstar-"

"What do we do? They're not on the list?"

"Forget the list they go to the block." The woman spat to the man and walked towards the block herself. She stopped beside the executioner, her face soon turned to a stone-cold watching expression; similar to Ulfrics.

"By orders Captain." He saluted her, "I'm sorry I'll make sure your remains are brought to their rightful places." he gestured for Celestra and Zorrocco to head to the block. Ulfric was being told his crimes, but Celestra was more interested in the Argonian.

"Lookss like this won't be an eassy esscape." His voice whispered into her ear.

"Accept it Argonian. We won't be leaving here, alive." She looked to the sky, noticing how the clouds hung in overcast. Their saturated grey appearance adding to the grimness of their fate.

"- but a hero doesn't use a power like the voice to murder is king and usurp the throne," She was pulled the man telling Ulfric his crimes, The Imperial turned to the others , " You started this war and threw Skyrim into chaos! And now the Empire is going to put you down and restore the peace!"

A shriek sounded through the air, like the cry of some giant bird. Celestra had never heard this sound before, and listened as both Imperials and Stormcloaks asked what it was.  
"It's nothing, carry on." An Imperial stated, the woman then spoke.

"Yes General Tulius!" She then turned to the priestess beside her, "Give them their last rites"

The woman nodded and then held out her arms to bless them.

"As we condemned your souls to Aetherius, Blessing of the Eight divines upon you-"

"For the love of Talos! Shut up and let's get this over with!" A Stormcloak in binds stepped forward to the block, cutting off the woman's speech. She seemed to be baffled for a moment then responded with a simple, " As you wish."

"Come on, I haven't got all morning." The Stormcloak snared at the Imperials. He was ready to die; Like a true Nord. Tulius pushed the Stormcloak to the ground, his head landing on the block. While the executioner lifted his great axe into the air.

"My ancestors are smiling at me Imperials. Can you say the same?" He shouted, but the Imperials said nothing, as the executioner brought his axe down on the Stormcloak's head; silencing him. She could hear the bone crack and split as the axe cut through his neck with one chop, she then watched as it rolled into a basket on the other side of the block. His body then limped to the side, blood pouring out of the hole where his head once was.

"You Imperial bastards!"

Celestra heard some of the Stormcloaks shout, but the one who caught her attention was the Stormcloak from the wagon. She had heard his name when they were calling him up, Ralof of Riverwood. He seemed to care the most for the dead Stormcloak.

" As fearless in death as he was in life."

Celestra somehow felt proud for these two Nords, they seemed to be the most level headed. She almost wished she could have gotten to know them better, they may have been good friends.

"Next! Nord in the rags!" The female Imperial pointed at Celestra.

Another shriek sounded in the air, leaving the people wondering again what it was that made the sound?

"I said, Next PRISONER!"

"To the block prisoner, nice and easy." An Imperial shoved her from behind.

"Good luck" She could hear the Argonian, as the Imperial shoved her forward. She kept moving and knelt down by the block. She could take death, it's not like she had not dealt it to so many others.

To her surprise she found herself not thinking about what she had done, but what she could have done. Why had she never rode a boat in her time of exile? She could have visited the other provinces or ventured across the sea. But no instead she found herself in the northern part of Cyrodiil, hoping that at some point she could go home. Now she was home and now she was facing death for the third time in her life.

She looked up to the sky as her face laid on the cold stone of the chopping block, the form of the executioner standing in her view. His face expressionless as he brought the axe up and prepared to swing-

A shriek louder than any of the other ones sounded, becoming a roar as the beast which created it flew onto the Imperial tower. The ground quaked with its landing, sending the executioner to the floor. The beast was as black as night, with what appeared to be scales along his body and two large tattered wings.

"Dragon!" Celestra heard a woman shout, - but dragon's are extinct- Yet here the was one. The creature shouted something, causing the clouds to turn an eerie red throwing fire balls at the scene. Celestra got up as fast as she could, some hands tried to help her. She looked to see that they were Zerrocco's. The Argonian attempted to help her inside another of the towers.

All around them they could hear shouting as the Imperials tried to take it down on their own. The Dragon shouted back, but with his words came breaths of fire and force. Destroying the town of Helgen and its inhabitants.

Celestra and Zerrocco rushed inside the tower, a Stormcloak shut the door behind them. Both took a moment to catch their breath, and then took in the men they shared it with.

"Jarl Ulfric- could the legends be true?" Ralof peered out the slit of a stone window watching to see where the dragon was flying.

"Legends don't burn down villages."

Another roar sounded in the air, Ralof moved to the stone stairs of the tower that encircled it, "We need to move now! Up through the tower now!"

"But where would we go?" Celestra found herself asking as she and Zerrocco followed him, " We have no wings, how do you propose we escape?"

She was answered with a wall exploding allowing the dragon's head to blow fire into the room. Crushing and burning one of the Stormcloaks who occupied this floor. The Dragon then leap off the tower and began to fly around the town some more.

"See the Inn on the other side" Ralof pointed to the remains of a wooden building, still burning in the dragon's flames. "Jump, we'll catch up with you two later."

"You must have Guarr for brrainss! Therr'ss no way we'd make it!"

Celestra then grabbed Zerrocco's hand and yanked him off the tower- "Gahhh!" Zerrocco shouted as they flew through the air and then landed in the second floor of the burning Inn. She continued to yank Zerrocco along as the floor was beginning to fall apart at their feet. He continued to shout profanities till they landed on solid ground.

"than-"

"We aren't out of the woods just yet." They had stumbled onto the Imperials trying to save a child from the dragon.

"You prisoners! If you want to live stay by me!" It was General Tulius. Celestra and Zerrocco nodded and then followed him across the yard quickly before the dragon could swoop by again, "Stay close to the wall!" He shouted as the dragon dropped on to the stone wall of the fortress. His body constricting his ability to see those that stood in the walls shadow. The dragon shouted fire at some others and then flew off again, the wall crumbled where he sat, "Quickly follow me!"

They followed the General, stepping over bodies of dead Imperial soldiers as they laid in the rubble of destroyed homes. The air was becoming thick with smoke and the smell of dead flesh, they all were beginning to feel the effects of suffocation. Celestra began to notice just how few Imperials were left; They had all filed into the courtyard of the Helgen keep and were firing arrows at the dragon which continued to attack back with large breaths of fire.

As they entered the courtyard they saw Ralof running in to meet them, he began yelling at the General but both Celestra and Zerrocco decided it was best not to stay upon noticing the dragon making another round in the sky. They instead wandered off to the larger main door of the keep.

"How do we open it? Arr arrm'sss are bund!" He held up his wrists which were shackled with rope.

"That is what feet are for." Celestra jumped and kicked at the door causing the lock to break and for the door to open. They both rushed inside, pushing the door shut behind them but Ralof slipped through.

Ralof then locked the door with plank of wood and turned to the two that shared the room with him, "You two will be no good to me in ropes, here I'll free you." He said as he pulled a blade from his boot, and then approached Zerrocco to cut the ropes off.

"I thank you." Zerrocco bowed once his hands were free, Celestra said nothing.

"Can either of you fight?"

" I am mage by trrade. I came to Sskyrr'im for the magess collage." Zerrocco began to pull off the armor of one of the dead Stormcloaks; anything was better than the rags both him and Celestra wore.

"What about you?" Ralof held up an axe and dagger, trying to decide which he would use himself.

Celestra couldn't respond, she was stunned that she had actually survived Imperial imprisonment for a third time, a third time! She could never have foreseen this, not even if she had read her story in the Elder Scrolls. And Dragons! Dragons! No one had ever seen a dragon in many, many years! What was coming to the world?

She began to notice a jabbing in her spine, it was Ralof poking her with his axe.

"Oh, I'm a hunter for Bruma."

"Axe or dagger? I wish we had a bow. I believe you'd use it better."

"Dagger," Ralof tossed her a simple iron dagger with a leather wrapped hilt. She grabbed it and begun to pull off some armor from another Stormcloak body, " Actually I'm not that great with a bow."

"And you're a hunter?" Ralof attempted to open a gate, but it was locked, "Damn Oblivion, we need a key!"

The trio began searching the room for a key, but they couldn't find one. The stone rumbled as the dragon must have landed on top. They watched as pebbles from the roof and sand fell in a short burst like mist, sticking to their already sweat filled faces.

The sound of Imperials came from a hall way connecting to this room. Ralof gestured that they hide behind the door frame; They were going to attack them. As soon as one of them stepped into the light of the slit like windows, Ralof swung his axe at them. Zerrocco held his hands out, creating a fierce fire in his palms burning the first Imperial. Celestra swung fast and true with her dagger, slicing the second Imperial across the jugular, he attempted to reach for his throat but instead collapsed onto the ground in a bloody mess. Celestra noticed the glint of a key attached to his belt as he fell to the floor, she then reached for it and picked it up.

"Found a key." She held it for the others to see, and noticed Ralof pulling out the end of the axe from an Imperial's shoulder, then the body becoming a lump on the floor.

"Great! Try the lock!"

The stone tower began to shake again, this time larger rocks fell out of the roof; a large Dragon claw becoming visible as it gripped onto the remaining parts of the walls. Celestra rushed to the locked iron gate and put in the key.

"By Nirrn! The drrahgon iss go'ing to take the whole towerr down." Zerrocco held his hands up a small fire burning in each of them, "Ge'ht it open!"

Celestra fumbled with the key till finally the lock came up and the door swung open, "Let's go!" She hollered as she broke into a run down the stairs to a hidden exit of the tower.

The whole tower began to collapse behind them blocking any way to go back.

**I'm sorry to those who are sick of reading the opening of skyrim again in a fanfic, but for story telling purposes I needed to. I should also inform you that this isn't going to be like any other elder scrolls fan fiction you have ever read (I hope) There are a lot of twists on the path of this Dovahkiin's destiny. For She has already saved the world twice before. Why should this be any different? You will see.**


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